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3/4

A lot of work, terrible results. The sauce was very bad.

goldb
/ 02.18.2012

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Like other reviewers I am a big fan of soup dumplings. This is a 4 fork recipe, but to get great results at home, you may want to "deconstruct" the dumplings. I made homemade broth the Edna Lewis way (Google the video by America's Test Kitchen for the method). It's quick, easy and much more flavorful than plain boiled broth.
The problem with trying to make this recipe at home is that store bought dumpling wrappers are too small to fit a meat ball plus enough soup aspic to get the proper effect. The flavors, however, are AMAZING. I suggest this method as an alternative, much less frustrating & lots more satisfying:
1) Make your aspic broth
2) Make your meatballs and seal in dumpling wrapper like a regular potsticker WITHOUT the aspic, steam them as directed
3) Heat the broth to liquid form and place in a shallow soup bowl, then float the potstickers in the broth and add vinegar sauce to taste.
OK you lose the soup dumpling squirt in your mouth, but you also get to enjoy ALL your lovely broth! Trying to assemble the dumplings with broth inside is frustrating & futile unless you can find wrappers that are at least 3 1/2" diameter. Using this modified method I will make this recipe again and again!

A Cook
from Colts Neck, NJ
/ 05.27.2011

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I'd've made these, really I would, but my time's been taken up making a life-sized re-creation of the Great Wall of China out of pencil sharpener shavings.

A Cook
from Beijing
/ 03.31.2011

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Delicious. Time-consuming but the flavor was really fantastic.

hmmitchell
/ 01.08.2011

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Just got back from San Francisco and
was so inspired by the cuisine there
that for a dinner party I was
having, I wanted to re-create food
that I had enjoyed on my trip. I had
the most incredible Shanghai Soup
Dumplings and this recipe is a great
facsimile of what I ate. All guests
raved about the dumplings and sauce
(see below) and my honey, who didn't
enjoy the SF dumplings as much as I,
thought mine were better! I did
substitute the sauce, re-creating
the sauce that I had in SF: red
chinese vinegar with thin sliced
strips of ginger, marinated
ovenight. I got the chinese red
vinegar in a large local asian
grocer (Super 88). Making this
recipe, you do have to start the day
before but I think that the results
are well worth it!

A Cook
from Framingham, MA
/ 05.12.2009

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After visiting China for the
Olympics, my friends and I could NOT
stop talking about the dumplings, and
in particular the soup dumplings. I
finally gathered all of the
ingredients and followed this recipe.
Like the previous reviewer I reduced
four cups of stock, 1 beef, 3 chicken
with the ingredients for about half
an hour as a short cut.
The next day I began assembly and let
me tell you, it was fun and
fascinating! We have a bamboo
steamer and found that it took about
10 minutes. I need a better method
for dicing the shrimp and pleating
the wrappers but it's not going to
stop me from making these again! Try
the spicy asian pickle recipe for a
quick and cool side to have.
Obviously nothing will be the same as
homemade wrappers but I don't care,
this is so close!!

A Cook
from Germantown, MD
/ 03.09.2009

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These dumplings are delicious! I was limited on time so I didn't make the broth the way the recipe said. Instead, I used 3 cans of stock. One chicken, one beef, and one vegetable. I added the garlic, green onion, wine and soy sauce, then let it reduce down for about thirty minutes. The next day, after the aspic set up, I made the filling and assembled the dumplings. I didn't mix the aspic cubes into the filling. I added a large cube on top of the filling, then wrapped up the dumplings. They had plenty of soup when they were steamed, which only took about 8-9 min. Time consuming but now that I know what I'm doing, I will definitely make them again!

A Cook
from Chicago, IL
/ 01.29.2009

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I too am a very big fan of Joe Shanhai in NYC. I moved upstate last year thus ending my families every Sunday dinner there. The Chinese food her is not very good so me loving to cook as a hobby I decided to see if I could find a recipe on line and I found this one.
I have made these plenty of times already but am only writing this review now.
The recipe was not difficult to follow but is very time consuming. I have made the meat mixture quite a few times and used it to make dim sum, wontons, Shanghi rolls and dumplings. I have even put it in the freezer and it kept nicely. So the meat can be made well in the advance for future use.
My only problem was the wrappers. I originally tried to use the dumpling wrappers from the Asian store but they were too thing and some of the soup came out of some of them. The bamboo steamer is best to use. I will make the wrappers next time.
The exact vinegar from Joe's can be found in the Asian stores.
Great Recipe you should try.

mariras266
from Durham, NY
/ 12.19.2008

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Delicious flavor!
Be sure and use
larger skins then
3" so you can add
more of the aspic.
Most of the
dumplings didn't
have much soup due
to either leakage
or absorption by
the wrappers. Also,
the wrappers were
too wonton like so
next time I will
make my own dough. I
must make this
again!

krudee
from Seattle, WA
/ 08.08.2008

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Great recipe!! My boyfriend loved it. A lot of work put into it though. It was worth it in the end to see him enjoy it. =)